Entry 1
October 28, 2009
Summary: The first chapter of "Lucky" by Alice Sebold introduces the main character Alice and starts the story with her rape. It is a graphic begining and very sad. The book then goes on to describe how she tells her friends and is rushed to the emergency room after the rape occurs. The book is a biography of Alice Sebold, so she tells the tale from personal experience. I am reading "Lucky" with Piper-- *Piper, I thought that the beginning of the book was very sad and it also made me very mad. What baffled me was how Alice felt like it was her fault!! Also, I was bewildered when she felt like she couldn't confide in her Mom. I would think that she would want to tell her Mom for comfort reasons and her resistance really confused me. {PIPER: I think that when you post, since by then we should be on the same page, that you should choose a color and respond to me in your color!!! Dibs on pink! Hahaha.} Q-words: Nuance (pg. 53)- a subtle difference or distinction in expression
Puckeeto- This section of the book was awful! I don't really think she felt like it was her fault.. yes I think maybe she thinks she brought it upon herself but I don't think she blames herself. I really like the part when her friends African-American boyfriend hugged her. It really showed that he didn't want to give all black people a terrible name and even though hugging him terrified her I think it really helped her get into a better level of her shock. Not telling her mom also confused me. But after you read into it you knew she was only trying to protect her mom because of what she described as panic attacks.
Q-words:
Reticent (pg. 75)- disposed to be silent or not speak freely
Entry 2
November 12. 2009
Summary: In the next section of "Lucky" Alice goes home after her examination and after talking to the police. While she is at home she takes a trip down memory lane and talks about her different childhood. *Pips :), this section was definitely a weird one. When Alice was talking about her childhood I got the feeling that she had a strange up-bringing. I mean the whole thing with her mother's freak-outs? That was strange. Also, it was super sad when Alice found out that her mom wasn't getting sick but was an alcoholic. My favorite part of the section was when it was talking about their dogs stealing the Maxi Pads and running around the house with them and how this was the only real family time they spent together. This part reminded of when my puppy, Rudy, when he did the same thing to my sister! How funny it was :)
Lunelle- I really like this section. It showed so much of her life and explained so much. I honestly understand her mother in a weird way, after hearing about all the happy pictures of her father she knows for a fact her father was guilted into this marriage and is only staying for the kids and because its "the right thing to do". Her mother was probably paranoid all the time and that would lead to her 'flaps'. Her childhood sounded like somewhat of a horror. The only affectionate touches from her parents she could get were the ones she tricked them into, and all the nice comments they gave her came along with something she needed to approve and that's not fair to any kid. The maxi-pad thing was funny.. makes me think of my kitty!!
Q-words:
Pratfall (pg. 76)- a fall in which one lands on the buttocks, often referred to as comical or humiliating (haha!)
Entry 3
November 13, 2009 (Friday the 13th!)
Summary: At this part of the story its the day after she gets home. She decides to go to Penn with her parents to get her sister home for the summer break. When she goes into the college everyone is staring at her and she see's graffiti of another girl who had gotten gang raped earlier that year making fun of her. That really pushed her over the edge.
Kori- I don't have much to say about this section. It really shows the strong act shes trying to put on for her parents and sister. It seems like her sister is a bit of a dramatic and that's not cool. When she locked herself in the bathroom its like she was trying to get attention and I thought that was a shallow way to get it. When she goes the the college and see's the Marcie picture you really can feel her relating to her and feel the mockery behind the picture. It was good that she talked to her father about all of it so that at least one person in her family could have that understanding and feel the same way she does, not just pity.
*Pipperoni (haha), this section was another weird one. I think that Alice is internally struggling and doesn't know how to act around her family. I think she worries a little too much about what they are thinking about. Alice is also trying I think to protect her family's feelings about the rape whereas the family, I think, she be worried about protecting her. I predict Alice will soon have a little outburst because she feels enclosed and has no one to talk to. Also, when Sebold family goes to get Mary at Penn and Alice see's the picture of the girl getting gang-raped, this is disgusting and it makes me very mad to know that someone would joke about such a serious matter. Mary, Alice's sister gets on my nerve because she is a fragile little girl. I mean her sister got raped!! She should start thinking about her for once in her life and quit worrying about herself!!!!! :/ Q-words:
Salient (pg. 79)- prominent or conspicuous Entry 4
November 30, 2009
Summary: This section introduces new characters from the Sebold church. For example, we meet Myra, Paul, Jonathon, Tom, and Steve. Myra and her husband we mugged and robbed in their own home. Ed was beat up and almost died at their house. Paul is the son of the Sebold pastor and he killed a woman. Jonathon comes to visit Alice, and both Alice and Mary develop a crush. And Tom is another boy who visits Alice. Alice finds out that Tom's mother was raped too as a teenager. Lastly, Steve was Alice's first 'boyfriend'. She tells him all the dirty details of her rape since he is the only one who is alone.
*Laffalot, I thought that this was a very good section. It kept me entertained the entire time and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I feel like in this chapter we get to know Alice a little better and it is evident that she is feeling alone and that it bothers her that she can talk to no one about her rape. I couldn't believe when the mother refused to listen to her! I mean her 19 year old daughter was raped and she can't find the guts to listen to the details. Also, I think there was some truth in Alice's little tantrum about how no nice good looking boy will want to deal or date with a girl who has been raped.
Kourtney- In this section Alice's character really shines through. You really see how difficult this is on her emotionally. I can sort of understand where her mother is coming from though, you don't want to see your child suffer and hearing the details would be extremely difficult, but if your daughter asks you to listen then you should. The fact that she couldn't shows that her weaknesses outweigh her strengths.
Q-words:
Taciturn (pg. 87)- inclined to silence; reserved in speech
Entry 5
December 2, 2009 Summary: Alice decides to return to college and get on with her life. She didn't realize how difficult that it could be when everyone knows who you are and call you 'that girl'. After she had adjusted to the new environment she ran into her rapist, he saw her and discreetly taunted her, knowing that she recognized him. She called the police and found that he had several other charges against him and was then brought into the station for this most recent crime. KEP-This section was pretty intense.I liked it though, especially her reaction when she walked into her rapist. The fact that she could keep walking showed her strength, especially after the poem she wrote about killing him, but I think instead of walking off I probably would have ran even that would have showed how much he had actually affected me.Everyone looking at me after everything that had happened would be really hard too, especially when people she doesn't even know keep walking up to her and telling her how glad they are that she decided to return, what business is it of theirs? Its not! Pipe- This section decribed many changes that Alice is begining to go through and many truths she is begining to one, realize and to accept. For example: her feelings of the rapist. When she wrote that poem in her class then read it out loud to her classmates I was baffled!! That was a very intese poem that showed real (even scary) emotion. Also, I was surprised by her reaction to seeing her rapist again. The way she just kept walking even when he came up to her and was taunting her! That disgusted me in so many ways. Furthermore, the way her friend reacted to the whole situation when they were in the police car looking for him was disappointing. He made me mad! And I completely agree with you people should mind their own business and leave poor Alice alone! Thank goodness for Mary Alice!
Q-words:
Cerberus (pg. 90)- a dog, usually represented as having three heads, that guarded the entrance of the infernal regions
Entry 6
December 3, 2009
Summary: In this section Alice tries to put as much of her attention as possible into her two writing workshops. She meets a new friend in her girls only dorm, Lila, who does not like to live life on the edge. Her court date is right around the corner, and when it arrives she decides to invite one of her writing instructors, Tess Gallagher, instead of her stressful parents. When they get there they realized the rapist, Gregory Madison, had waived his right to appear which helped his lawyers to prove that they are not exactly sure they had arrested to right man because she had not seen him when he was arrested. After this hearing they scheduled her to be subpoenaed to testify for the grand jury. Kori P.- This section wasn't very exciting, I kind of liked it with the court case because I find books about it fascinating, but other than that it was extremely boring! Her friend Lila sounds like a total bore, but I guess that's what Alice needs at this point in her mental recovery stage. Por mi amiga, Piper: This section was one of the more action packed one. I think alot of this book is the author reflectig back on her sad experiences and therefore can get quite boring. But I like the setting of a court room and all the action that goes with it. I think that the D.A for Madison is a jerk and I have very little respect for him. Although I am a little biased haha. But seriously how can you defend a rapist!! And yes i realize that it is their job and that they dont have a choice sometimes but still. Anyway, I predict that they are going to use the fact that Alice kissed back during the rape to get Greg Madison out of rape and say it wasn't rape. (But the fact of the matter is that she only kissed back because she was afraid that if she didn't that he would kill her!) Q-words:
Philodendrons (pg. 129)- a tropical American climbing plant Entry 7
December 27, 2009
Summary: In this section (which was definately a long one! Chapters nine through eleven.) Alice goes to court for the prelimenary trial. She is given five men and she is asked to identify her rapist. (The men are in other rooms that have one way mirrors.) However, Alice identifys the wrong man. The man she identified is a "dead ringer" for Gregory. Also, Gregory asked for this man personally and while Alice was looking at the man the innocent one looks mean and stares at the person through the wall while the actual rapist tries to look dazed and confused. Alice also while on trial does a great job and answering questions. Futhermore, one of Alice's classmates attempts suicide and Alices finds out that as a child she was continually raped by her brothers. Back to the trial, they ran pubic hair tests and tested pubic hairs from Gregory to the ones in Alice's rape kit and there is 100% match. Soon after, the jury finds Gregory guilty of rape and notes Alice as an excellent witness. In the second half of the chapter, Alice meets two new guys who becomes good friends with them. Chris is gay and Jamie is older. Jamie gets Alice into to drinking and one night he asks if she has had sex after being raped. She lies and says yes she has, then Jamie takes her back to her place and they have sex.
Piper Ann, this was one of the more eventful sections. The court scenes were long and sometimes hard to get through but I found them very interesting. The whole thing about Gregory asking for his friend and then the stunt they pulled was horrible and I cannot beleive our court system would allow for this to happen, even if it is the defendants right! Also, I wasn't the least surprised to find out that Gregory was charged with rape! It should be that way. Also, to comment on losing her real virginity to Jamie, I think that he is a nasty womanizer! Truly he disgusts me, he just seems like a pig. But I think we cannot put all the fault on him, Alice lied to him about a.) having sex previously and b.) havin sex after being raped. I just don't understand why she would want to have sex so bad?! I would have guessed that after being raped she would have realized how special sex is and how it is not something that could be thown around. And personally, I think that after be raped and beaten that she would not want to have sex for a long time! I know thats how I would feel anyway.
The court scenes were very long, and hard to read because I haven't really been around that kind of environment much so I didn't really connect with what was probably very intense. I thought that what Greg did by asking his friend to stand beside him was a very low trick, but a very good strategy even though the lineup didn't really affect the outcome of the case. I really like Chris, he seems like he will be a good and true friend. Womanizer is definitely the word for Jamie. But after Alice sleeps with him I am equally disgusted by her. She thinks that just because she has one course of 'wanted' sex the rape will just disappear and never haunt her again, when in reality it just made it ten times worse.
Q-words: Placating (pg. 145)-to appease, to calm, to satisfy.
Entry 8
December 28, 2009
Summary: Chapter eleven is all about the actual trial, which Alice has been killing herself in anticipation. We are introduced to David Murphy is a D.A and is sort of like Alice's assistant. First, Alice's sister Mary graduates from Penn, then after much debate about which parent will attend, Alice and her father fly to New York for the trial. The trial is very long and excruiating. The defendant's attorney is ruthless and vey cruel. At the end of the chapter we find out that Gregory Madison is convicted with rape in the first degree and sodomy, he also received the most amount of years to serve as possible. PAS, I have realized that there was so much build up for the climax of the story. The begining was interesting in a sad way and the middle was flat out boring haha. The end though is getting much more intense. In this section I was amazed how neither one of Alice's parents wanted to be there for the trial. What kind of parents are those? It made me sooo mad! Also, Gail has turned out to easily be one of my favorite characters and I think that she will make a great mom (even though the whole story is fictional :)) I was surprised to find out that Gregory was charged with the maximum amount of years. Finally, I wonder what Alice is going to do now that the trial is officially over?
I think she drug the court scenes out a bit too long, but I really have no place to judge. These are her memories and I'm guessing that writing this memoir was hard for her, but a very key piece to the puzzle when trying to get over something this traumatic. This story isn't fictional dork! This is her memoir!! She thanks Gail in her acknowledgments at the very end! But yes she was a great asset to the story and showed how strong women can be.
Q-words: Sodomy (page 201): copulation with a member of the same sex.
Entry 9
December 29, 2009
Summary: Through this setion Alice gives herself a makeover. She moves back home and goes on a diet with her mother and ends up losing fifteen pounds. When she returns to Syracuse she dedicates herself to living a "normal life". She throws parties and meets new friends. Lila, Alice, and another roomate get an off campus house. Near the end of this section while Alice is at a poetry reading she gets a bad feeling and returns to her house. When she arrives she finds her house to be surronded by police and discovers that her best friend, Lila, has been raped in their house. After going through a similar process Alice went through a couple years ago, Lila and Alice grow distant. Or should I say, Lila pulls away and wants nothing to do with Alice. Danceris1,(hehe) this section had its ups and downs to me. First, Alice loses weight weight and becomes popular and her life is back on track. Then this terrible thing happens Lila getting raped and it is like Alice must start from square one again. One step foward, two steps back. I was amazed to see how Lila pulled away from Alice. I would have thought that she would want a friend like Alice around who she could easily related too. However, I think she was scared that Alice was "diseased" and that rape just naturally followed her. Do you think that the guy who raped Lila is connected to Gregory? It does make you wonder... I'm really happy when Alice tries to give herself a makeover. She's trying to move past how she feels about herself after the rape, fat, ugly, and unwanted. I also like the fact that shes trying to get into what is the normal swing of things in college life, new friends, parties. I also thinks its very cool that Alice gets a feeling of pain RIGHT when Lila is getting raped, it shows just how connected they are, maybe their nickname for each other, "clone", really does suit them quite well. After the rape had first taken place I immediately made the assumption that it was their, a little odd, roommate Pat. But he was so angry after the fact and it really showed how much he cared. When she pulled away I agree that she felt that bad fortune just follows Alice like a thundercloud, and after being around Alice it had swallowed her in as well. I am almost positive that the rapist had a connection to Gregory. He kept asking after Alice, and knew her and Pats schedule very well.
Q-words: Interminable (page 216): unending
Entry 10
December 29, 2009
Summary: The last section of "Lucky" by Alice Sebold explains what happens to Alice after kind of sort of graduating college. The last couple page are very jumpy, and the setting moves around alot. To sum up what mainly happens, Alice's life goes down the drain. She becomes an alcoholic and does many drugs, though mainly heroin. She moves around alot from Houston to Caifornia then to New York then back to California, then eventually back to New York. Throughout all her moves, she works as a teacher and travels overseas. The story ends with: "where both hell and hope lie in the palm of my hand." (After the story there is also a secion of acknowledgments, an interview with Alice Sebold, and a reading group question guide.) Piper, this section to me was the most disappointing. I feel like Alice completely gave up on herself. Which makes me mad because she is letting her rapist get the better of her! And it was truly unfourtunate to see that she fell into the hands of drugs and alcohol. I wish that they book would have been longer because I would have liked to see how she got her life on track and how she published her first books. I wish that we could see how the the author is living now, and how she met her husband, which the book is dedicated too. Also, I recommend reading the acknowledgments because I found them very interesting. One reason why is because it interested me to know that fifteen years after her rape she came in contact with Gail. Furthermore, the acknowledgment to he mother was peculiar. In the book I got the impression that Alice was different from her parents and not that close to them. But in the acknowledgment she talks of her mother as her "inspiration". This is another reason why I would want a sequel. Finally, the interview with her is very interesting to read and I am glad they put it in. I wish I could have a personal interview with her! Overall, I enjoyed the book. But it was a very weird enjoyment. I have never read anything like this is, so it was good to expand my horizons. To be honest, it was a very weird book that has a strange power. Inspirational in the weirdest way, it is almost unexplainable. I agree that this section was disappointing, but though it was that it was also the most explanatory in a weird way. Shes finally coming to face the feelings that have been haunting her over the years. Though I hate the way she does it, especially the fact that she is able to explain what drugs she likes and doesn't like and why not. It almost surprised me that she had a husband she was so close to. I know that sounds mean, but look how many guys she went through in the book. But I smiled in the last paragraph when, after she had had sex with yet another man who was a friend, her friend told her that that intercourse had seemed almost virginal and she had agreed because for once she wasn't using it as an escape, but living in the moment for what she had actually wanted. I agree that what she said about her mother was odd, throughout the story she made her seem as if she was an awful coward.. as you read on you see the strength and try in her mothers voice. Thinking of Alice as a successful, sober, married, happy author is almost surreal after reading all of this that has happened in her life, it almost doesn't fit who she used to be, but it is a good thing she finally got back on track, and I like you would like to know how she managed to do all of this. This book was great, and really brought out the gruesome and terrible reality that is rape with out sugar coating it or watering it down. It shows the integrity and courage it takes just to live a normal life, but then goes to show that there is no normal, just something we strive to see in society.
Q-words: Brusque (page 240): abrupt in manner, blunt, or rough.
Piper & Kori
Entry 1
October 28, 2009
Summary: The first chapter of "Lucky" by Alice Sebold introduces the main character Alice and starts the story with her rape. It is a graphic begining and very sad. The book then goes on to describe how she tells her friends and is rushed to the emergency room after the rape occurs. The book is a biography of Alice Sebold, so she tells the tale from personal experience. I am reading "Lucky" with Piper--
*Piper, I thought that the beginning of the book was very sad and it also made me very mad. What baffled me was how Alice felt like it was her fault!! Also, I was bewildered when she felt like she couldn't confide in her Mom. I would think that she would want to tell her Mom for comfort reasons and her resistance really confused me. {PIPER: I think that when you post, since by then we should be on the same page, that you should choose a color and respond to me in your color!!! Dibs on pink! Hahaha.}
Q-words: Nuance (pg. 53)- a subtle difference or distinction in expression
Puckeeto- This section of the book was awful! I don't really think she felt like it was her fault.. yes I think maybe she thinks she brought it upon herself but I don't think she blames herself. I really like the part when her friends African-American boyfriend hugged her. It really showed that he didn't want to give all black people a terrible name and even though hugging him terrified her I think it really helped her get into a better level of her shock. Not telling her mom also confused me. But after you read into it you knew she was only trying to protect her mom because of what she described as panic attacks.
Q-words:Reticent (pg. 75)- disposed to be silent or not speak freely
Entry 2
November 12. 2009
Summary: In the next section of "Lucky" Alice goes home after her examination and after talking to the police. While she is at home she takes a trip down memory lane and talks about her different childhood.
*Pips :), this section was definitely a weird one. When Alice was talking about her childhood I got the feeling that she had a strange up-bringing. I mean the whole thing with her mother's freak-outs? That was strange. Also, it was super sad when Alice found out that her mom wasn't getting sick but was an alcoholic. My favorite part of the section was when it was talking about their dogs stealing the Maxi Pads and running around the house with them and how this was the only real family time they spent together. This part reminded of when my puppy, Rudy, when he did the same thing to my sister! How funny it was :)
Lunelle- I really like this section. It showed so much of her life and explained so much. I honestly understand her mother in a weird way, after hearing about all the happy pictures of her father she knows for a fact her father was guilted into this marriage and is only staying for the kids and because its "the right thing to do". Her mother was probably paranoid all the time and that would lead to her 'flaps'. Her childhood sounded like somewhat of a horror. The only affectionate touches from her parents she could get were the ones she tricked them into, and all the nice comments they gave her came along with something she needed to approve and that's not fair to any kid. The maxi-pad thing was funny.. makes me think of my kitty!!
Q-words:Pratfall (pg. 76)- a fall in which one lands on the buttocks, often referred to as comical or humiliating (haha!)
Entry 3
November 13, 2009 (Friday the 13th!)
Summary: At this part of the story its the day after she gets home. She decides to go to Penn with her parents to get her sister home for the summer break. When she goes into the college everyone is staring at her and she see's graffiti of another girl who had gotten gang raped earlier that year making fun of her. That really pushed her over the edge.
Kori- I don't have much to say about this section. It really shows the strong act shes trying to put on for her parents and sister. It seems like her sister is a bit of a dramatic and that's not cool. When she locked herself in the bathroom its like she was trying to get attention and I thought that was a shallow way to get it. When she goes the the college and see's the Marcie picture you really can feel her relating to her and feel the mockery behind the picture. It was good that she talked to her father about all of it so that at least one person in her family could have that understanding and feel the same way she does, not just pity.
*Pipperoni (haha), this section was another weird one. I think that Alice is internally struggling and doesn't know how to act around her family. I think she worries a little too much about what they are thinking about. Alice is also trying I think to protect her family's feelings about the rape whereas the family, I think, she be worried about protecting her. I predict Alice will soon have a little outburst because she feels enclosed and has no one to talk to. Also, when Sebold family goes to get Mary at Penn and Alice see's the picture of the girl getting gang-raped, this is disgusting and it makes me very mad to know that someone would joke about such a serious matter. Mary, Alice's sister gets on my nerve because she is a fragile little girl. I mean her sister got raped!! She should start thinking about her for once in her life and quit worrying about herself!!!!! :/ Q-words:
Salient (pg. 79)- prominent or conspicuous
Entry 4
November 30, 2009
Summary: This section introduces new characters from the Sebold church. For example, we meet Myra, Paul, Jonathon, Tom, and Steve. Myra and her husband we mugged and robbed in their own home. Ed was beat up and almost died at their house. Paul is the son of the Sebold pastor and he killed a woman. Jonathon comes to visit Alice, and both Alice and Mary develop a crush. And Tom is another boy who visits Alice. Alice finds out that Tom's mother was raped too as a teenager. Lastly, Steve was Alice's first 'boyfriend'. She tells him all the dirty details of her rape since he is the only one who is alone.
*Laffalot, I thought that this was a very good section. It kept me entertained the entire time and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I feel like in this chapter we get to know Alice a little better and it is evident that she is feeling alone and that it bothers her that she can talk to no one about her rape. I couldn't believe when the mother refused to listen to her! I mean her 19 year old daughter was raped and she can't find the guts to listen to the details. Also, I think there was some truth in Alice's little tantrum about how no nice good looking boy will want to deal or date with a girl who has been raped.
Kourtney- In this section Alice's character really shines through. You really see how difficult this is on her emotionally. I can sort of understand where her mother is coming from though, you don't want to see your child suffer and hearing the details would be extremely difficult, but if your daughter asks you to listen then you should. The fact that she couldn't shows that her weaknesses outweigh her strengths.
Q-words:Taciturn (pg. 87)- inclined to silence; reserved in speech
Entry 5
December 2, 2009
Summary: Alice decides to return to college and get on with her life. She didn't realize how difficult that it could be when everyone knows who you are and call you 'that girl'. After she had adjusted to the new environment she ran into her rapist, he saw her and discreetly taunted her, knowing that she recognized him. She called the police and found that he had several other charges against him and was then brought into the station for this most recent crime.
KEP- This section was pretty intense. I liked it though, especially her reaction when she walked into her rapist. The fact that she could keep walking showed her strength, especially after the poem she wrote about killing him, but I think instead of walking off I probably would have ran even that would have showed how much he had actually affected me. Everyone looking at me after everything that had happened would be really hard too, especially when people she doesn't even know keep walking up to her and telling her how glad they are that she decided to return, what business is it of theirs? Its not!
Pipe- This section decribed many changes that Alice is begining to go through and many truths she is begining to one, realize and to accept. For example: her feelings of the rapist. When she wrote that poem in her class then read it out loud to her classmates I was baffled!! That was a very intese poem that showed real (even scary) emotion. Also, I was surprised by her reaction to seeing her rapist again. The way she just kept walking even when he came up to her and was taunting her! That disgusted me in so many ways. Furthermore, the way her friend reacted to the whole situation when they were in the police car looking for him was disappointing. He made me mad! And I completely agree with you people should mind their own business and leave poor Alice alone! Thank goodness for Mary Alice!
Q-words:
Cerberus (pg. 90)- a dog, usually represented as having three heads, that guarded the entrance of the infernal regions
Entry 6
December 3, 2009
Summary: In this section Alice tries to put as much of her attention as possible into her two writing workshops. She meets a new friend in her girls only dorm, Lila, who does not like to live life on the edge. Her court date is right around the corner, and when it arrives she decides to invite one of her writing instructors, Tess Gallagher, instead of her stressful parents. When they get there they realized the rapist, Gregory Madison, had waived his right to appear which helped his lawyers to prove that they are not exactly sure they had arrested to right man because she had not seen him when he was arrested. After this hearing they scheduled her to be subpoenaed to testify for the grand jury.
Kori P.- This section wasn't very exciting, I kind of liked it with the court case because I find books about it fascinating, but other than that it was extremely boring! Her friend Lila sounds like a total bore, but I guess that's what Alice needs at this point in her mental recovery stage.
Por mi amiga, Piper: This section was one of the more action packed one. I think alot of this book is the author reflectig back on her sad experiences and therefore can get quite boring. But I like the setting of a court room and all the action that goes with it. I think that the D.A for Madison is a jerk and I have very little respect for him. Although I am a little biased haha. But seriously how can you defend a rapist!! And yes i realize that it is their job and that they dont have a choice sometimes but still. Anyway, I predict that they are going to use the fact that Alice kissed back during the rape to get Greg Madison out of rape and say it wasn't rape. (But the fact of the matter is that she only kissed back because she was afraid that if she didn't that he would kill her!)
Q-words:
Philodendrons (pg. 129)- a tropical American climbing plant
Entry 7
December 27, 2009
Summary: In this section (which was definately a long one! Chapters nine through eleven.) Alice goes to court for the prelimenary trial. She is given five men and she is asked to identify her rapist. (The men are in other rooms that have one way mirrors.) However, Alice identifys the wrong man. The man she identified is a "dead ringer" for Gregory. Also, Gregory asked for this man personally and while Alice was looking at the man the innocent one looks mean and stares at the person through the wall while the actual rapist tries to look dazed and confused. Alice also while on trial does a great job and answering questions. Futhermore, one of Alice's classmates attempts suicide and Alices finds out that as a child she was continually raped by her brothers. Back to the trial, they ran pubic hair tests and tested pubic hairs from Gregory to the ones in Alice's rape kit and there is 100% match. Soon after, the jury finds Gregory guilty of rape and notes Alice as an excellent witness. In the second half of the chapter, Alice meets two new guys who becomes good friends with them. Chris is gay and Jamie is older. Jamie gets Alice into to drinking and one night he asks if she has had sex after being raped. She lies and says yes she has, then Jamie takes her back to her place and they have sex.
Piper Ann, this was one of the more eventful sections. The court scenes were long and sometimes hard to get through but I found them very interesting. The whole thing about Gregory asking for his friend and then the stunt they pulled was horrible and I cannot beleive our court system would allow for this to happen, even if it is the defendants right! Also, I wasn't the least surprised to find out that Gregory was charged with rape! It should be that way. Also, to comment on losing her real virginity to Jamie, I think that he is a nasty womanizer! Truly he disgusts me, he just seems like a pig. But I think we cannot put all the fault on him, Alice lied to him about a.) having sex previously and b.) havin sex after being raped. I just don't understand why she would want to have sex so bad?! I would have guessed that after being raped she would have realized how special sex is and how it is not something that could be thown around. And personally, I think that after be raped and beaten that she would not want to have sex for a long time! I know thats how I would feel anyway.
The court scenes were very long, and hard to read because I haven't really been around that kind of environment much so I didn't really connect with what was probably very intense. I thought that what Greg did by asking his friend to stand beside him was a very low trick, but a very good strategy even though the lineup didn't really affect the outcome of the case. I really like Chris, he seems like he will be a good and true friend. Womanizer is definitely the word for Jamie. But after Alice sleeps with him I am equally disgusted by her. She thinks that just because she has one course of 'wanted' sex the rape will just disappear and never haunt her again, when in reality it just made it ten times worse.
Q-words: Placating (pg. 145)-to appease, to calm, to satisfy.
Entry 8
December 28, 2009
Summary: Chapter eleven is all about the actual trial, which Alice has been killing herself in anticipation. We are introduced to David Murphy is a D.A and is sort of like Alice's assistant. First, Alice's sister Mary graduates from Penn, then after much debate about which parent will attend, Alice and her father fly to New York for the trial. The trial is very long and excruiating. The defendant's attorney is ruthless and vey cruel. At the end of the chapter we find out that Gregory Madison is convicted with rape in the first degree and sodomy, he also received the most amount of years to serve as possible.
PAS, I have realized that there was so much build up for the climax of the story. The begining was interesting in a sad way and the middle was flat out boring haha. The end though is getting much more intense. In this section I was amazed how neither one of Alice's parents wanted to be there for the trial. What kind of parents are those? It made me sooo mad! Also, Gail has turned out to easily be one of my favorite characters and I think that she will make a great mom (even though the whole story is fictional :)) I was surprised to find out that Gregory was charged with the maximum amount of years. Finally, I wonder what Alice is going to do now that the trial is officially over?
I think she drug the court scenes out a bit too long, but I really have no place to judge. These are her memories and I'm guessing that writing this memoir was hard for her, but a very key piece to the puzzle when trying to get over something this traumatic. This story isn't fictional dork! This is her memoir!! She thanks Gail in her acknowledgments at the very end! But yes she was a great asset to the story and showed how strong women can be.
Q-words: Sodomy (page 201): copulation with a member of the same sex.
Entry 9
December 29, 2009
Summary: Through this setion Alice gives herself a makeover. She moves back home and goes on a diet with her mother and ends up losing fifteen pounds. When she returns to Syracuse she dedicates herself to living a "normal life". She throws parties and meets new friends. Lila, Alice, and another roomate get an off campus house. Near the end of this section while Alice is at a poetry reading she gets a bad feeling and returns to her house. When she arrives she finds her house to be surronded by police and discovers that her best friend, Lila, has been raped in their house. After going through a similar process Alice went through a couple years ago, Lila and Alice grow distant. Or should I say, Lila pulls away and wants nothing to do with Alice.
Danceris1,(hehe) this section had its ups and downs to me. First, Alice loses weight weight and becomes popular and her life is back on track. Then this terrible thing happens Lila getting raped and it is like Alice must start from square one again. One step foward, two steps back. I was amazed to see how Lila pulled away from Alice. I would have thought that she would want a friend like Alice around who she could easily related too. However, I think she was scared that Alice was "diseased" and that rape just naturally followed her. Do you think that the guy who raped Lila is connected to Gregory? It does make you wonder...
I'm really happy when Alice tries to give herself a makeover. She's trying to move past how she feels about herself after the rape, fat, ugly, and unwanted. I also like the fact that shes trying to get into what is the normal swing of things in college life, new friends, parties. I also thinks its very cool that Alice gets a feeling of pain RIGHT when Lila is getting raped, it shows just how connected they are, maybe their nickname for each other, "clone", really does suit them quite well. After the rape had first taken place I immediately made the assumption that it was their, a little odd, roommate Pat. But he was so angry after the fact and it really showed how much he cared. When she pulled away I agree that she felt that bad fortune just follows Alice like a thundercloud, and after being around Alice it had swallowed her in as well. I am almost positive that the rapist had a connection to Gregory. He kept asking after Alice, and knew her and Pats schedule very well.
Q-words: Interminable (page 216): unending
Entry 10
December 29, 2009
Summary: The last section of "Lucky" by Alice Sebold explains what happens to Alice after kind of sort of graduating college. The last couple page are very jumpy, and the setting moves around alot. To sum up what mainly happens, Alice's life goes down the drain. She becomes an alcoholic and does many drugs, though mainly heroin. She moves around alot from Houston to Caifornia then to New York then back to California, then eventually back to New York. Throughout all her moves, she works as a teacher and travels overseas. The story ends with: "where both hell and hope lie in the palm of my hand." (After the story there is also a secion of acknowledgments, an interview with Alice Sebold, and a reading group question guide.)
Piper, this section to me was the most disappointing. I feel like Alice completely gave up on herself. Which makes me mad because she is letting her rapist get the better of her! And it was truly unfourtunate to see that she fell into the hands of drugs and alcohol. I wish that they book would have been longer because I would have liked to see how she got her life on track and how she published her first books. I wish that we could see how the the author is living now, and how she met her husband, which the book is dedicated too. Also, I recommend reading the acknowledgments because I found them very interesting. One reason why is because it interested me to know that fifteen years after her rape she came in contact with Gail. Furthermore, the acknowledgment to he mother was peculiar. In the book I got the impression that Alice was different from her parents and not that close to them. But in the acknowledgment she talks of her mother as her "inspiration". This is another reason why I would want a sequel. Finally, the interview with her is very interesting to read and I am glad they put it in. I wish I could have a personal interview with her! Overall, I enjoyed the book. But it was a very weird enjoyment. I have never read anything like this is, so it was good to expand my horizons. To be honest, it was a very weird book that has a strange power. Inspirational in the weirdest way, it is almost unexplainable.
I agree that this section was disappointing, but though it was that it was also the most explanatory in a weird way. Shes finally coming to face the feelings that have been haunting her over the years. Though I hate the way she does it, especially the fact that she is able to explain what drugs she likes and doesn't like and why not. It almost surprised me that she had a husband she was so close to. I know that sounds mean, but look how many guys she went through in the book. But I smiled in the last paragraph when, after she had had sex with yet another man who was a friend, her friend told her that that intercourse had seemed almost virginal and she had agreed because for once she wasn't using it as an escape, but living in the moment for what she had actually wanted. I agree that what she said about her mother was odd, throughout the story she made her seem as if she was an awful coward.. as you read on you see the strength and try in her mothers voice. Thinking of Alice as a successful, sober, married, happy author is almost surreal after reading all of this that has happened in her life, it almost doesn't fit who she used to be, but it is a good thing she finally got back on track, and I like you would like to know how she managed to do all of this. This book was great, and really brought out the gruesome and terrible reality that is rape with out sugar coating it or watering it down. It shows the integrity and courage it takes just to live a normal life, but then goes to show that there is no normal, just something we strive to see in society.
Q-words: Brusque (page 240): abrupt in manner, blunt, or rough.